Horseshoe



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REUBEN G. WILCOX, OF HIRAM RAPIDS, OHIO.

HoRsrEsHoE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 271,008, dated January 23, 1883.

Application filed August 30, 1882.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that 1, REUBEN Gr. WILCOX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hiram Rapids, in the county of Portage and State of Ohio, vhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horseshoes; and I do hereby decla-re that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawin gs, makin ga part of this specification, and to the letters and iigu'res of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 ot the drawings is a perspective view of my invention,the parts being in position for engagement; Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section of the same when engaged, and Fig. 3 a perspective view of the key. Y

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in horseshoes provided with toe-weights for the purpose of regulating the gait of the horse, or to prevent interfering, the objects of the present invention being to construct such a shoe and weight, whereby weights of different sizes may be readily attached to or removed from the said shoe when desired,but which cannotbecomeloose orshake oli' by the action of the horse. These objects l attain by the construction substantially as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter described.-

In the drawings, A represents a horseshoe provided with a clip, B, at its toe, said shoe and clip being preferablyforged from one piece of metal, so as to prevent the liability of breakage at the point of weld should such a clip be welded to the shoe. This clip is readily fitted to the shape of the horses hoof without the necessity of paring or cutting the same, as the blacksmith or horseshoer can readily bend the said clip out from or up to the hoof the requi' site distance to allow of the toe-weight C being placed thereon, the said toe-weight having its inner face slightly concaved to suit the shape of and lit snugly against the hoof. This toe-weight C has secured at the top upon its outer face a flat spring, a, said spring having upon its lower end a lug, b, which enters the toeweight through a perforation, c, and engages with av perforation, d, in the clip B, registering therewith, the said toe weight being (Model.)

| formed with an elongated mortise, f, to receive said clip. This clip is provided at its upper end with an inclined slot, e, of a width equal to the lug b upon the spring a and of a depth sufcient to admit of the mortise in the toeweight engaging with the said clip when said toe-weight is started thereon without interference from the lng. The lug b rises upon the inclination of the slot as the toeweight is forced down, and is held out until the perforation c in the toe-weight registers with the perforation d in the clip, when it is caused to autom atically enter said perforation by the spring a, of which it is a part.

When itis desired to remove the toe-weight from the clip a key, D, of t-he construction substantially as vshown in Fig. 3, is inserted between the outer face of said weight and the spring a and pushed up to its shoulder g, thereby raising the lug b upon said spring clear of the clip, when the toe weight can be easily lifted off.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that toe-weights of various sizes may be readily attached to a horseshoe of my construction,

and firmly held thereon, with lno danger of their being loosened or shaken olf by the action of the horse, and which may be easily detached at pleasure.

While I have described my invention particularly as applied to toe weights, the same may be as readily employed at the side of the hoof, to prevent the horse from interfering, by causing him to spread his feet according to the size of the weight; and by having a variety of toe-weights of more or less heft the gait of the horse may be regulated to snit the owner or driver.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A detachable toe or side weight for horseshoes formed with an elongated mortise, f, and provided with a spring, a, secured to its outer face, said spring having a lug, b, workingl in the perforation c of said weight, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination ofthe horseshoeA,t'ormed 4with a toe or side clip, B, having an inclined In testimony thatl I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my naine in the presence of two witnesses.

arranged to operate substantially as shown and described.

REUBEN G. WILGOX,

. 111A. Looms, MICHAEL LooNEY. 

